Fate

Chapter 4

Memories of baths washed over Ella as she slid into the tub. The scalding water prickled her skin like needles, and she leaned against the porcelain tub in bliss. Ana’s cheery voice snapped the dream.

“Ella-girl! Don’t be dreaming around. Get that dirt off of you! Seb doesn’t want you to wallow, but to show of your beauty!”

Laughing, Ella sat back up, and reached for the cloths and soap with returning familiarity. She used to bathe like this too, once upon a time. Rubbing the soap onto the cloth and then, in turn, on her, she felt herself becoming more confident. She washed away the layers of dirt and dust that had accumulated in the short months she had been on the streets. Slowly, her pale skin came through with a brilliance. The previously clear water turned murky. At last, with her hair plastered to her head and back, she stepped out of the tub and into the arms of a length of cloth. She vigorously dried herself, then wrapped her long hair in it. Ella picked up the robe left by Ana, and slipped it on, marveling at the liquid feeling of silk on her body. Smiling, she opened the door and headed back into Ana’s room.

A tornado had been there. Clothes were strewed everywhere. Ana herself was busily singing and comparing under-gowns with over-gowns, dresses with petticoats. Ella cleared her throat.

“Oh there you are!” Ana dropped everything, ran to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to the center of the room.

“Now, I wasn’t sure what colors would suit you best, so just stand right here and don’t move. You’re about my size, so we’ve got plenty of choice!” She smiled and began holding garments to Ella’s body.

“Hmm, yes I think that this white petticoat and white silk under-gown will work…” she murmured, then spoke louder, “I’ll help you into them. Drop the cloth, here are some undergarments. Get the bottom on, I’ll help you with the corset.” Ella refused to drop the cloth, and so struggled pulling up the panties. Then, she loosely wrapped the front part of the corset around her drying cloth before dropping it, presenting her back to Ana for the ties. The older girl wandered over, grasped the strings and pulled, hard.

“Aaah!” Ella cried as the air was roughly forced from her lungs, “too… tight…” she gasped.

“Aw, don’t be a wimp,” said Ana, but still loosened the ties anyway. Just a little. She tied them securely, then handed Ella the white petticoat. The girl looked at it for a minute, before pulling it on, tying the sash herself. Ana grasped the silk white under-gown and threw it over Ella’s head and outstretched arms. It fell neatly and was the perfect length. The sleeveless gown hugged the corset, yet subtly, not suggestively like Ella had seen many a girl in Sty’s house. She smoothed the pleats, marveling at the softness of the material.

“Let’s see what blue looks like on you,” Ana said, as she helped Ella into the blue over-gown, “I’m not sure what’s best, but I have a whole collection, so we’ll just work our way until we find something stunning. Sound good?”

“Um.. yeah, I mean, yes, yes, that sounds good,” Ella stammered, “Thank you so much for everything Ana…”

“Oh don’t mention it. Anything for my darling brother,” she winked.

They tried the blue. The dark blue. The grey. The dark red. The pink. The dark green. The normal, ordinary green. The light green. They tried the cream and the yellow. Finally, Ana pulled out a crimson over-gown hesitatingly.

“I don’t know if…”

“If what?” Ella asked sofly.

“This was my… my twin sister’s gown. The only one I kept.”

“Oh, I couldn’t!”

“Try it. Just to see if it works. If it does, then it may bring you luck.”

Ella looked at Ana. Her face was pale, remembering past times.

“Are you sure?” Ella asked, taking the gown.

“Yes. Yes, put it on. I think it’ll work.”

“Alright,” Ella slowly pulled the gown over her head. It smelt faintly of wood and spices. She put her arms through the sleeves and they fit well, neither too tight nor too loose. Ana’s hands joined hers as they settled the gown over the white one, the light velvet silent against the swishing silk. Ana stood behind her, and pulled the golden sash around, tying a bow. She walked around, her eyes downcast. Finally, she lifted them. The gown was right. The fitting sleeves were the perfect length, the gold V-edge resting on the top of Ella’s hand. The skirt fell to the floor, touching, but just barely, the ground, shielding the feet from view. The gold V-neckline harmonized the whiteness of Ella’s skin and the red of the gown.

“Goddess behold,” Ana whispered, “It is perfect,” She stared at Ella.

Timidly, Ella walked around. The gown swished with perfectness, a hint of happiness at being worn once more.

“You hardly need any jewelry. Just… just a pair of earrings,” Ana walked over to her dresser and selected a small pair of gold earrings. “I noticed your ears weren’t pierced, but I have a pair that will just clip on.”

“Will it hurt?” Ella asked.

“No, I don’t think so. It might pinch a bit, but it shouldn’t be painful.”

Ella nodded. Ana clipped the bit of jewelry on. Pain seared through Ella’s earlobe, before quieting and disappearing. The same with the other. Finally, the older girl wrapped a clean cloth around the younger one’s shoulders, to keep the gown from getting wet. She unraveled the head-cloth and let Ella’s hair spill down her back. It had already been pretty long before her house burned, but after four months on the street, it was wild. The dark brown curls tangled with each other halfway down her back, and Ana patiently combed them. At last, they were mostly dried and satiny. Painstakingly, she sat Ella at the vanity, and set to work behind her. Pins and ribbons and nets had a party, as Ana arranged her hair. Another hour later, she was done. At first, Ella could not tell the difference. She tentatively patted it, and found that the top half of her hair was gathered in golden netting, held with red rubies at her temples and across her forehead. A single red drop rested there. The lower half of her hair tumbled down her back, flaunting itself.

“Fit to see the queen…” Ana whispered. She pulled a bell, and a maid appeared.

“What is the time?”

“Soon the hour of one after the noon, milady,”

“Great Goddess! Lunch will be served soon!” Ana cried, and tore around the room. In less than a couple minutes, she was dressed, looking calm and collected. They put their shoes on.

“Ready to meet my parents?” She asked mischievously.

Ella pulled a strange face, one between terror and excitement, “I suppose I am,”

“Oh don’t make such a face! You’ll be fine,” Ana assured her, “They’ll be impressed for sure.”

“Well.. if you say so…”

“I do. Follow me, I’ll show you the way,”

Ana headed off, and Ella had no choice but to follow. What had she gotten herself into?